Fishers, NGO’s, Government Officials and Private Sector representatives gathered on Tuesday, Januray 26, 2016, to launch the program brand and certification mark of “Fish Right, Eat Right”, a market-based program backed by an education campaign that will provide incentives for fishers, retailers, restaurants, and consumers to promote and support the harvest, trade and consumption of sustainably and legally caught seafood.
The goal of this certification program is to curb illegal fishing and promote best practices in fisheries by providing marketing incentives throughout the supply chain via the promotion of responsible seafood consumption. Those establishments that demonstrate knowledge of and compliance with the Fisheries Regulations will receive special recognition, and responsible fishers who comply with the Regulations will have preferential access to these reliable markets.
Fish Right, Eat Right is initially targeting restaurants and hotels, and will expand to include cooperatives, fish markets, supermarkets and other seafood purveyors in the future. An advertising campaign for tourists and the general public to support these compliant, recognized establishments will be planned and launched.
For restaurants, this program will help match consumer demand for sustainable, healthy products with a supply chain that will deliver. The program will also help restaurants identify alternative seafood options for consumption that can help reduce fishing pressure on species that are overexploited, threatened, or endangered.
Fish Right, Eat Right establishes a local brand that will highlight establishments sourcing seafood responsibly and fishers harvesting seafood sustainably. This will help make it easier for consumers to make sustainable choices that ensure the health of our oceans.
Program Brand:
The Fish Right, Eat Right symbol on a menu is Belize’s assurance that your seafood has been responsibly sourced – that is, caught legally, following sustainable fishing practices, and eventually fully traceable.
Certification Mark:
Initial Requirements for Receiving Recognition through the Fish Right, Eat Right Certification
• Education: knowledge of Belize fisheries regulations and sustainable fisheries management
• Compliance & Transparency: compliance with the Fisheries Regulations and participation with the data collection program of the Fisheries Department
• Promotion & Awareness: promotion on menu of sustainable seafood options and display of educational material that highlights the Fisheries Regulations and other sustainable fisheries management initiatives
• Purchase of responsibly-sourced seafood
Fish Right, Eat Right is being implemented by Belize Tourism Board (BTB), Belize Tourism Industry Association (BTIA), Belize Fisheries Department (BFD) and supported by Oceana, Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). If you are interested in signing up or want to find out more about the program, please contact Alyssa Carnegie at Oceana (acarnegie@oceana.org).
